Road Closure

In preparation for tuesday’s construction, castro street between Marina Vista and Escobar was closed today, along with the lane nearest the bridge on both streets.

Full Screen

The work saw the first tree casualty as the forklift bringing the metal plates the crane will rest on knocked out a street tree. If it weren’t for our friends at the county building there would be no access at all, but at least a narrow path was left for them.

Worth A Dam was contacted today by Dave Scola to ask whether we would help Skip Lisle supplemental feed and help him to use the infra red temperature device we offered for lodge readings. He also said that when the trees are topped we will have access to the cuttings to decide whether they should be for feed or removed. I asked him to contact the city parks manager to identify other sources of Arroyo Willow we could cut along the creek.

Even if we are prevented from being anywhere close to the work, Worth A Dam will be on hand. We are armed with spotting scopes, walky talkies, infra red thermometers and spotlights. If the beavers can be protected, they will be.

Corollary: Sheet Piling bad for Songbirds.

The October issue of the Western North American Naturalist has published a new article by lead author Hilary Cooke who is finishing her dissertation at the Unversity of Alberta. The study was conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society and estabilished that beaver dams provide critical habitat for declining migratory bird populations.

“We found that increasing density of beaver dams was associated with abundant bird community and the wetland and streamside habitat these species depend on.” Translation: more dams mean more birds. Four dams mean 4xs more birds.”This habitat is critical to birds in semi-arid regions (CA) yet has been severly degraded or has been lost through much of the West. Our results suggest that management of beavers may be an important tool for restoring habitat and reversing bird declines.”

Yes in addition to helping frogs, salmon and drought, beavers help birds. No one who has stood at the dam and seen last winter’s scaup or this fall’s returning common yellow throats can be surprised. Although beaver populations have returned to the country overall, the article emphasizes how beaver influence is still missing from much of the watersheds of the west and are “very important to wildlife and reviving the natural function of streams.”

Beavers help birds. A timely reminder. This weekend Birds will return the favor as Worth A Dam will be providing information and education at the Wildbirds Unlimited 17 anniversary event. Beaver friends at Native Bird Connections will be there with an eagle and the audobon society will host its own build a nest contest for children. Stop by, and get the latest information about beavers and birds.

Oh and beavers are good for these guys too.